Not Enough

The paper cup that contained our trial for the new coffee from Starbucks reminded me of a theme I might explore at the PSFK Conference San Francisco – it’s about whether big companies are really doing enough to support the drive towards sustainability, whether they can or whether we need a new breed of alternative brands to replace them.

Look at the picture. Can Starbucks really only provide cups with 10% recycled material? Why not 100%? Am sure there’s a standard excuse but if all they can muster is 10% why do they bother saying it on the packaging. And I think of something Jeff Staple said in this clip at the PSFK Conference New York 2008 where he talked about trying to make one out of 2000 Nike shoe designs environmentally sustainable. The question I ask is, why not all 2000 now?

I know that there’s an argument that it’s these big companies who need to lead sustainable change but with them taking so long to take up the cause fully (rather than dip their toes), you begin to wonder whether it’s time to leave them all behind and work with a new crop of companies who really ‘get it’.

PSFK Conference San Francisco